Hamble Winter Series Report- Week 6 Report

(Hamble, Southhampton, England)- The 43rd running of the Hamble Winter Series continued this past weekend. So far, it has proved to be a somewhat drama-filled few weeks of sailing. Here’s what’s happening in each division- J/111 and IRC handicap- for the past two weekends of sailing.

HWS Week 5

“Dunkelflaute. The German word for the miserable, grey non-weather that’s been draining the life out of everyone in Britain,” wrote Quentin Letts in the Sunday Mail newspaper on Sunday, on 10th November 2024.

Well, it has certainly been draining the strength out of the Hamble Winter Series so far this year. Two Race days have been lost to this phenomenon in the 43rd Hamble Winter Series and sandwiched in between them was Storm Ashley. No one associated with the event can remember losing more than one weekend before, let alone three. So, it was a very nervous Race Team that gathered at HRSC on Sunday morning. Audrey Knight proclaimed “In this country, it’s called Anti Cyclonic Gloom” which made everybody even more depressed! With 5 knots showing at Calshot on Windycator 11, PRO, Peter Bateson, ordered his troops to head for the CV and onward to the Solent.

At 0827 hrs Peter announced to the WhatsApp group that the CV Sea Angel was heading for 4J- hamblewinterseries.com mark in the Solent. By 0908 hrs it was confirmed that the set up was indeed at 4J.

“Currently 6 knots from the S,” boasted Peter. The breeze was meandering between 090 and 120 degrees in the prestart period, so with the course axis set at 110 degrees, a simple 2-lap windward/leeward was designed for all boats, with windward marks at 0.6 and 0.8 NM. This gave race lengths 3.2 NM and 2.5 NM, with 4J used as the leeward mark.

In IRC 2, Mike and Susi Yates’s J/109 JAGO managed to “find a way around the crowded marks to wriggle away and win the race”. This was something of an improvement for Mike, who was fresh from cutting away a rig after six hours of the Middle Sea Race. Rob Cotteril’s J/109 MOJO RISIN was third.

Not satisfied with getting one race finished, the PRO sent everyone off again. For race 2, the breeze started at 4-5 knots from 120°. A (Very) short 3.7 mile round the cans course was set with a triangle, a beat, and a run. As the breeze dropped to 1-3 knots the course was shortened at 4L- William- using the pin end/mark laying boat Obsession, whose team, Steph Merry, Rupert Wolloshin, Peter Halliday, and Nick Irwin seemed glad to have more to do. As the boats were finishing, a light breeze of 5-6. kts returned, having veered another 120° and now coming from 240°.

In IRC 2, Rosie Berry’s J/109 JEANIE made sure there was a J/109 at the top of the podium again. JAGO managed to drift the wrong side of the weather mark, with a few others, which left them sixth. Then, Chris Burleigh’s J/109 JYBE TALKIN kept the 109-fest going with a third place.

Back in the HRSC Club House, Tom Underwood of Force 4 Chandlery, Port Hamble, presented the prizes. Tom brought enough goodies that the podiums in both races could receive an award. The Raymarine goody bag for first was especially well received as it contained a Lighthouse Chart for the UK & Ireland. There were also Force 4 vouchers and goodies from Kingfisher Ropes. These prizes were well worth struggling round in light airs for. Mike Yates expressed his thanks to Peter B and the Race Team “Glad we got two races in.” he said.

HWS Week 6

Robert Hillman’s Exuberant was the Committee Vessel for Race Week 6- sponsored by J/BOATs dealer Key Yachting. Indeed, exuberant was how everyone was feeling, with the prospect of two races for the second week running. You could feel the energy as the Race Team and competitors headed for 4S- Royal Southern buoy.

The Forecast was for 8-12 knots WNW-W and that is pretty much what happened. PRO Peter Bateson and his trusted sidekick, Kathryn Clark, decided on one very short windward/leeward race to get the crews warmed up – and to put another race score in the bag – followed by a “proper” round the cans race to finish off. The W/L was just over 3 miles for classes IRC1 & IRC 2.

IRC 2 saw the first general recall of the series, with around a third of the 20 boats over the line. With a Z-flag preparatory signal, they got away fairly cleanly on the second attempt.

Alain Waha’s J/99 FURTHER WEST led the finishers home in IRC 2. Rob Cotterill’s J/109 MOJO RISIN was the second over the line.

In the second race, Mike and Susie Yates’s J/109 JAGO came in second and FURTHER WEST came in just six seconds corrected behind JAGO!!

Back in HRSC Clubhouse Key Yachting presented the prizes. Ian Handley summed up the day saying “Overall, it was a fantastic day’s racing in 11-17 knots and a bit of sun. Our second prize, a bottle of Salcombe Gin, felt like a win and will be much appreciated by Charles’s Mum when we get home.”

Winter Series J/111 Class
It has turned into a runaway lead after ten races for Chris Jones & Louise Makin’s JOURNEYMAKER II, winning seven races with 9 pts net total! Second is Paul Griffiths’s counting three 1sts and five 2nds for 13 pts net. In third is the Jolene Syndicate’s JOLENE with 22 pts net.

Winter Series IRC 2 Division
After eight races, five of the top 10 boats on the leaderboard are J/crews. Leading are two J/109s- Mike & Susie Yates’s JAGO is first with 11 pts, Rob Cotterill’s MOJO RISIN is in second place with 16 pts, fifth is Chris Burleigh’s J/109 JYBE TALKIN with 24 pts, seventh is JB Brian’s J/99 JOLLY JUMPER with 44 pts, and tenth is Vernon Bradley’s J/99 BLACKJACK with 69 pts.

Thanks for the contributions from Trevor Pountain

For more Hamble Winter Series sailing information
https://www.hamblewinterseries.com/